Thursday 18 September 2014

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson today championed a phenomenal opportunity for businesses to link to the capital’s powerful brand, as Dot London domain names are now on sale worldwide.

 

Interest in Dot London has been strong from the start and on the first day the new domain name went on general availability over 9000 domains were registered making a total of over 44,000 registrations now received.  Leading businesses that have signed up include Fortnum Mason, KPMG, Metro Bank, Cath Kidston, ZSL London Zoo, the menswear clothing firm dunhill, The Royal College of Art, and Storm Models, who represent models such as Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne.  Today, the Mayor met some of the first businesses and organisations who have taken up the opportunity to have a Dot London Domain name.

Following a successful three-month launch phase during which Londoners and London-based businesses received priority for their applications, Dot London domains are now available to all companies and individuals who want to create a digital link with the city. Strong interest has been received from the capital’s most recognisable brands, business organisations and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).  Premium names have also been particularly popular with the average price for premium names such as enterprise.london and smart.london standing at over £200 a year.

 

Boris Johnson, The Mayor of London said: “The launch of Dot London is one of the most exciting things to have happened on London’s digital scene for many years, and it’s thrilling to be right at the centre of this ground-breaking moment. London’s new domain name provides a phenomenal opportunity to link businesses all over the world with our city’s powerful brand.”

 

Gordon Innes, Chief Executive of London Partners, the official promotional company for London, said: “London is an internationally recognised city brand and we are delighted a huge range of businesses and individuals from across the world have registered for Dot London domain names in order to be linked to the capital. Dot London enables businesses big and small to put London right at the heart of their businesses and online branding.”

 

A number of London and UK-based sports teams and associations, including West Ham United and  Harlequins, have also registered their Dot London names with the aim of bolstering their links with London’s reputation as one of the world’s leading international sporting arenas.

 

Harlequins Head of Marketing and Communications, Imogen Gaunt said: “Deciding to adopt a Dot London domain name was a very easy decision for us at Harlequins. We are the London rugby club with a vibrant history in the city and a real heritage within the capital. This domain reinforces our London position and augments the relationships we have with our supporters and partners in the city.”

 

The new domain name has also, as expected, proved to be popular with many of London’s SMEs, with applications from companies like Highgate-based classic car dealers, Hexagon Classics; family-run organic butchers, Grahams; and Southeast London-based The Cake Store, who have been baking since 1945.

 

Paul Michaels, chairman of Hexagon Classics, said: “For over 50 years we have been in the business of dealing with iconic luxury British motoring brands, such as Jaguar and Aston Martin, so having a Dot London domain name will allow us to stand out from the rest and strengthen our link with one of the most seminal brands in the world – London.”

 

Antony Van Couvering, Chief Executive of Minds + Machines, the commercial partner of Dot London, said: “By acquiring a Dot London domain name, businesses, museums, shops, theatres and galleries will secure a web address that is more relevant to them as a London brand, identifying them as either being located or associated with the city. This is something that will not only strengthen their link with the city but also help raise their profile and improve their credibility as an internationally recognised brand.”

 

Demand for Dot London domain names remains strong with registrars, such as  123 –reg, Easyspace, Fasthosts,  11, Minds + Machines  and Go Daddy. Dot London is one of more than 1,000 new gTLDs being released by ICANN, the global internet body, as alternatives to ‘.com’ or ‘.co.uk’, a move hailed by ICANN as changing the internet forever. Other city based domain names include ‘.paris’, ‘.berlin’ and ‘.nyc’.

Notes to Editors

About Dot London:

London Partners has set up a subsidiary, Dot London Domains Ltd, to operate the new registry. It has procured a Registry Services Provider, Minds + Machines, which is working in partnership to set up and operate the domain.  Dot London will operate on a commercial basis and any surplus profits will be re-invested for the benefit of London.

More information can be found at http://dotlondondomains.london

 

About Minds + Machines Group Limited:

Minds + Machines Group Limited is a publicly traded operating company listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange focused on the new generic top-level domain (‘New gTLD’) space. Top level domains, such as .com and .net, are regulated by ICANN. ICANN is currently expanding the number of new generic top-level domains from the current 23 to over 1000 through its ‘New gTLD program’. The Group is one of the leading applicants for, and owner and operator of, new gTLDs under this programme.

About Minds + Machines’ Registry and Registrar operations:

Minds + Machines’ registry operations are delivered by its wholly-owned registry services providers: Minds + Machines Limited (Ireland), which works internationally with commercial organizations, cities, not-for-profits and entrepreneurs to operate New gTLDs; and Minds and Machines Limited (UK), which partners with the official promotional company for London, London Partners, to operate the Dot London New gTLD. In addition, the Group wholly owns Minds + Machines Registrar Limited (Ireland) and Minds and Machines Registrar UK Limited, each an ICANN accredited registrar through which the public can buy domain names in new and existing top level domains. Further information on Minds + Machines’ registry and registrar operations can be found at www.mm-registry.com and www.mindsandmachines.com, respectively.

About ICANN: 
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages internet domains. It was founded in 1998 and is responsible for the internet’s system of unique identifiers and ensures the internet’s stability and security.

More information can be found at http://www.icann.org

Contact

For all enquiries please contact: Nick Mouton, Senior Press Officer, London Partners:

nmouton@londonandpartners.com / +44 207 234 5715 / +44 7968 704512

 

Dot London videos are HD broadcast quality, access media worldwide, free of charge, rights cleared and music rights cleared.

Available to download from London Partners Dropbox – http://bit.ly/1wD1iTj andNewsmarket: www.thenewsmarket.com/londonandpartners

 

1. B-Roll HD and SD Broadcast quality footage of interview with Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and leading London businesses who have registered Dot London domain name

2. Edited film of interview with Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and leading London businesses who have registered Dot London domain name